Outsider
by DanieB2
Summary: Every outsider needs an "in" . . .
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer** – I own nothing. All characters are the property of Dick Wolf.

_A/N – "Outsider" takes place six years after Elliot Stabler left SVU._

Rated T for mature subject matter, language, and adult situations.

**Outsider**

The day her body was discovered, it was scorching hot.

Thick, towering pines dotted the gentle green slope of the mountain, their heavy limbs blocking the majority of the late summer sun but trapping the stifling heat below. The air was dense and sluggish, the distant calls of hidden birds hanging thickly in the atmosphere. Underfoot, the rich mahogany soil was soft and the glimmering lake at the bottom of the mountain seemed too distant to be anything more than a seductive mirage.

Strands of caramel-highlighted hair escaped Captain Olivia Benson's ponytail and clung damply to the back of her neck as she crouched, holding her breath and examining the decaying corpse. Her aviator sunglasses, slick with sweat, slipped down her nose. Irritated, she pushed them back up, simultaneously shooing the buzzing flies that attacked her ears and mouth. The motion threw her off balance and nearly knocked her on her jean-clad behind.

"It's her."

Wiping her wet palms on her already dirty jeans, Olivia straightened, a stray twig crunching underfoot. Her eyes never left the body of eighteen year old Teresa Simmons as it lay protruding from a random scrub bush. The young girl's once porcelain skin was now a mottle of broken blood vessels, the odd twist to her neck a dead giveaway as to cause of death. Her eyes, sightless, gazed up at the green canopy above.

"How the hell'd she get out here?" Detective Odafin Tutuola's eyes were hidden beneath dark sunglasses. His face was its normal mask of calm, with only the twisted corner of his mouth to suggest inner disgust. Reported missing twelve hours earlier, the daughter of a prominent New York City Prosecutor, Teresa usually resided in downtown Manhattan. Given the party girl's penchant for designer handbags and designer drugs, it was surprising she had travelled so far afield.

"Not a dump job." Detective Odessa Ryan shifted her weight from side to side. The raven-haired detective held pen to white notepad but wrote nothing, nodding her head at the crusted bloodstains on either side of the body. "M.E. can say for sure, but looks to me she was killed out here."

Olivia's brown eyes flickered over the landscape thoughtfully. From where they stood, there was little to see outside of the hovering pine trees, but she knew from the drive in that they were not alone in the seemingly remote New York state wilderness. They had passed a series of dirt laneways and caught glimpses of expensive cars and massive houses tucked back into the trees.

"A different zip code maybe, but you saw the real estate. There's money out here. Maybe she found herself a sugar daddy."

Wiping her forearm across her melting forehead, Olivia turned and started up the slope, her feet slipping slightly in the loose soil. Behind her, she heard the rustle of the black tarp as Fin covered the body.

"We'll need to canvass everyone along this road as a start. I'll go back to the House, send reinforcements from the local PD to help you out. The houses are pretty spaced out. You'll want to divide them up."

Sweat-stained members of the Crime Scene Unit appeared at the crest of the slope, stretcher bouncing roughly over the assorted rocks. Brian Pableski, Assistant M.E., greeted Olivia with a smile, his freckled face red with late summer sunburn.

"Morgue is quiet today, Olivia. Should be able to get your vic in right away."

Olivia returned his smile wanly, peeling her damp T-shirt off the small of her back as she walked. "That's good Pableski. Get a rush on that T.O.D for me, will you?"

Brian saluted cheerfully, stepping past her and carefully winding his way down the slope. Olivia lowered her head to watch her footing on the rocks as her calves strained.

_When the hell did I get so out of shape? Stupid desk job . . ._

As she crested the top of the hill, a familiar voice from lives past startled her from her quiet mental reverie.

"Olivia?"

Head snapping up, Olivia blinked into the bright sunlight. Beside the waiting patrol car, a tall man stood stalk still staring at her, the leashes of two large dogs clutched loosely in his hands.

For a brief moment, Olivia's heart stopped in surprise.

"Elliot?"


	2. Chapter 2

"So. Captain Benson eh?"

The late afternoon sun streamed through the glass sliding door as Elliot stood by the granite countertop, stirring a large pitcher of iced tea. The ice cubes tinkled merrily against the glass, the brown liquid virtually transparent where pierced by the sunlight. The windows built into the wooden frame of the massive cabin were open, but there was no breeze to cool the interior. Little plastic fans perched strategically on tables around the room fought feverishly against the oppressive heat. In the corner of the room, one of the two adorable mutts she had seen earlier lay on the floor, head on paws, chocolate brown eyes observing the action lazily.

Olivia sat at a knotted wooden picnic table in the large open concept kitchen, forearms folded on the lacquered top as she watched Elliot work. The muscles in his shoulders flexed under his thin gray T-shirt as he stirred and she couldn't help but notice how his shape had changed since the last time she had seen him. He was leaner now, still muscled, but with the wiry muscle of someone who spent a lot of time in outdoor physical activity, not of someone who spent hours at the gym.

When he turned, sweating glasses in hand, she also had the chance to assess the changes in his face. His eyes were the same, light and intelligent. His skin was tanned and, although there were a few more wrinkles than she remembered, he actually looked younger, healthier. His hair was even shorter than his typical marine cut and he had let a beard grow. It was the gray that flecked the light brown hair on his chin that belied his age.

Olivia smiled as she took the glass from his hand. "Yeah, Captain Benson. Who would have thunk?"

Elliot's grin was lopsided as he lowered himself onto the bench across from her. "When did that happen?"

Her first sip of the cold tea was refreshing. "Two years after you left SVU. They kept me a Lieutenant until Cragen retired. He was grooming me to take his place."

"Moving up in the world. Lucky you." Elliot's eyes slid to the expansive picture window that looked out down a jagged rock face and to the shimmering lake below.

An awkward silence fell between them, and Olivia shifted uncomfortably on the hard bench. Although their conversation thus far had been friendly, there was a disjointedness between them that was new. When Elliot retired, they had tried to keep in touch. They had made a point of meeting for drinks at first but, somewhere along the way, without a conscious decision being made, those get-togethers had become fewer and further between. Eventually they had stopped altogether, any attempts on either of their parts thwarted by other plans or simply bad timing.

_When had they grown apart? When had they fallen out of sync? _

"So when did you move out here? You're a long way from Queens, Toto," Olivia teased in a lame attempt to ease the awkwardness.

It didn't work.

"After the divorce." Elliot's voice was flat and he refused to tear his eyes from the window. A drop of perspiration ran down the side of his glass and pooled on the shiny tabletop.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know." It took an effort to force back the pang of sadness that tickled her soul. Six years ago, she would have been one of the first to know.

_When had it all changed?_

Elliot shrugged, his gaze returning to inside the room but still not meeting hers. "Kathy and I have been over for a long time. We probably only lasted as long as we did because I was never around. Once I left the force, I was around too much. Too much, not enough, we couldn't win. We only lasted a couple more years after I retired. She's still in Queens."

"The kids?"

Elliot smiled genuinely for possibly the first time since he had invited her into his kitchen.

"They're good. Great actually. The twins are living in the City, sharing an apartment. Dickie's finishing up his Master's degree. Elizabeth is working as a waitress in an upscale restaurant. She does really well with tips. Maureen and Kathleen are both married now, to good men. Maureen just had a baby."

Elliot stood suddenly, the movement making his knees creak. Moving over to the wood fireplace that sat just inside the living area, he plucked a gold frame off the mantel and returned to the table. A cheery infant grinned from inside the frame and Olivia couldn't help but smile in response. "That's my first grandchild. Sasha."

"She's beautiful."

"Yeah, she's cute," Elliot agreed with a smile, turning the picture to face him. "She loves it out here. She's a regular water spider."

"How often do you get to see them all?"

Elliot shrugged, fiddling absently with the frame, twisting it this way and that. "Quite a bit. I get Eli every other weekend and for a month in the summer too."

"It's nice you get to spend more time with your kids. I know that was really important to you." Olivia grinned lightly. "And look at this huge bachelor pad! You must have a hell of a pension Mr. Stabler."

"Yeah, it's great." Elliot's eyes went flat as he watched the perspiration drip down the side of his glass. "So tell me about the case. What brings you to my neck of the woods?"

Automatically, Olivia went to share, but at the last second stopped and regarded Elliot carefully. His light eyes were on her now, unwavering, and she weighed her options. A part of her longed to share all the details, to rehash the case until something fell into place, until something made sense the way it always used to. But he wasn't her partner anymore. He was a civilian now. He didn't need to burden his conscience with the details of horrible crimes he was no longer bound to investigate.

After a moment, the past won over the present.

She started slowly and gained momentum, detailing the facts of Teresa's disappearance, the fruitless search efforts, and the call from the startled bird watcher who had stumbled over her body. Elliot's expression never changed as she spoke, his eyes fixed on her face for the first time since they had sat down.

"I'm a little disappointed in your neighbors El," Olivia sighed finally, using the tip of her finger to dunk one of the ice cubes that floated on the top of her glass. "They weren't very helpful. Fin said the door-to-door canvass was a waste of time. Everyone clammed up. Insisted that type of thing didn't happen around here."

Something flickered on Elliot's face when she used his nickname, but it was gone almost as quickly as it surfaced. Instead, he grunted in acknowledgment around a mouthful of iced tea. "It's a private neighborhood. People keep to themselves. To be honest, I don't know much about them either, and I'm a resident. They will talk to me though. Seems if you own property up here, you're in. If not . . ." he shrugged lightly. "Well, if not, you're just an outsider."

"Great." Olivia took a frustrated gulp of iced tea, the sweetness catching at the back of her throat. "It's going to be a long and irritating investigation. I can feel it."

Elliot was quiet for a moment, his gaze returning to the window. From her vantage point across the table, she could see the reflection of the water in his eyes. "I could help, you know."

Olivia smiled lightly. "You don't want to do that El. You're out of the life now." She gestured to the beautiful log building and impressive vista surrounding them. "Things are going well for you. Don't get sucked back into the abyss known as Sex Crimes."

Elliot leaned forward, elbows on the table, his face serious. "No one is going to talk to you Liv. You know it. I know it. But they'll talk to me. I'm a resident."

Outside, a bird sang a song with no name. Olivia regarded him carefully for a moment, breath deep and thoughtful. "Resident or not, as soon as they hear "police", they're going to shut down just like they did with the detectives this morning."

Elliot smiled genuinely for the second time that afternoon, his eyes twinkling just slightly.

"Sure, if they hear "police". But not if they think you're my girlfriend."


	3. Chapter 3

"I can't believe the Brass actually agreed to this."

Three days later, Olivia crossed over the threshold of Elliot's cabin again, this time with a maroon duffel slung over her shoulder. The knotted hardwood creaked under her weight as she pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head and allowed her eyes to adjust to the relatively dim light.

"Yeah. After they verified my alibi, ran me through the system twenty times, and made me sign a million insurance waivers, they were quite accommodating."

The hinged screen door snapped shut behind Elliot as he followed her inside, pulling her wheeled suitcase. The left wheel squeaked and the younger dog, Striker, raised his head from his post beside the sliding door. Deciding the intruder didn't pose much of a threat, he lay back down with a deep-throated groan.

Olivia laughed, swiping at the sweat on her forehead. "Come on El. You know better than anyone the flak the department would have faced if they didn't do their homework."

"Sure, sure. Personally, I think they are just so eager to get you all married off that they're willing to support even a fictional relationship." Elliot's eyes twinkled as he moved to stand beside her, his elbow brushing against hers.

Olivia rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress the smile. "You're an ass."

"So I've been told." Tossing his keys onto the breakfast island, Elliot gestured to the space before them. "You ready for the grand tour?"

The large log cabin had a rustic feel, an air of history although there had only been one previous owner. Built into the slope of the mountain, the latter half of the building was supported by sturdy wooden stilts. It had been created in the image of a cottage, but the actual building was far larger than any self-respecting cottage would ever be. The interior was open concept, the kitchen melting into a living and dining area that boasted large, nearly floor to ceiling windows. The appliances were stainless steel and gleaming. Lights dangled from the rafters and monopolized corners. The furniture was eclectic and assorted, with a thrift store look that worked well with the rustic infrastructure. Wide wooden beams crisscrossed over the open ceiling. It smelled clean and was largely free of cluttering accoutrements. The minimalist approach was appropriate against the stunning backdrop of green pine forest and glittering lake visible through the windows. Out the back, a weathered deck shaded moss covered rocks.

A series of doors led off a small hallway that extended to the right of the kitchen. The first room was the master bedroom, a sprawling but simple space that played host to a small bureau, a queen-size bed, an exercise machine, and a flat-screen TV. At the end of the hall, Eli's room exuded far more character, decorated as it was with the usual pre-teen trappings. The modern bathroom sported a soaker tub and a frosted-glass shower stall. Directly across from the master bedroom, the spare room was also sparsely furnished, with a simple oak dresser, a wicker chair, and a double bed covered with a patchwork quilt.

"Well, this is it. Home sweet home, at least until you catch this bastard." Pausing in the spare room's doorway, Elliot shoved his hands into the pockets of his cargo shorts and watched Olivia as she moved past him, eyes absorbing her accommodations.

"It's really nice El." Absently running her fingers across the smooth wood of the dresser, Olivia dropped her duffel bag on the bed and scanned the room. As if eager to catch her eye, the light lace curtains fluttered in the weak breeze. Pushing them back, she gazed out at a wall of green pines. "It's so peaceful here. I can see why you like it. Must have been nice to get away from the craziness of the city."

"It was, for the most part. Some things were harder to leave behind than others."

Tearing her face from the window, Olivia caught Elliot's light eyes on her and fire instantly spread across her cheeks. In an attempt to cover it, she busied herself unzipping her duffel and rifling through the contents. Inside, the room became painfully quiet. Outside, Elliot's other dog Bandit barked and a small flock of birds darted from one tree to another in a flap of wings.

"I should let you get settled. Mi casa es su casa. Whatever you need." Shoving off the door frame, Elliot straightened and rolled his broad shoulders. "When you're ready, let me know. It's time to introduce you to the neighbors."

* * *

><p>The dead end dirt road that connected the houses on the hill was largely devoid of vehicular traffic, serving more as a hiking trail than a thoroughfare. Cicadas sang from the ditches on either side of the road and the thick, leafy canopy above provided much appreciated shelter from the midday sun. Despite that, the heat was still heavy and Olivia could feel a stream of sweat course down her back.<p>

Beside her, Elliot's eyes were hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses. His lithe muscles moved easily under his skin and Olivia sluggishly struggled to keep up, reminded once again how out of shape she had become . Ahead of them, Striker and Bandit trotted happily, sniffing the grass on either side of the road, tails wagging in the breeze. Through the trees, random flashes of expensive siding were the only indication of the houses buried back in the woods.

It was close to half an hour before they came across the first person. An older man, he still walked with a spring in his step. He wore a beige Tilley hat, his white beard a sharp contrast against the tan of his face. Spindly legs stuck out from his khaki shorts and he carried a gnarled walking stick at his side. A small Terrier on a leash trotted ahead of him, eyes fixed on the approaching bigger dogs.

"Here we go."

Olivia jumped slightly when Elliot's hand closed around hers, the firm contact sending a shiver down her spine despite the heat. He called the dogs and they wheeled around and trotted back to him, tongues lolling.

The man was less than 10 feet away when he bellowed out a greeting. "Hullo Elliot! How are you on this fine day?"

"I'm good Bert. How about you?" The two men drew to a halt beside each other and Olivia hung back slightly as the dogs sniffed curiously.

"I'm above ground, so it's a good day." The older man had a jolly voice and a warm smile, a thinner, more tan rendition of Santa Claus. Although he spoke in response to Elliot's question, his eyes were locked curiously on Olivia. "And who is this lovely lady? I don't believe we've met."

"This is my girlfriend, Olivia. Olivia, this is Bert Miller. He lives in the house at the end of the road."

Olivia returned the older man's smile with one of her own, extracting her hand from Elliot's just long enough to extend it to Bert. "It's nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is mine." Bert's sky blue eyes returned to Elliot. "I don't recall you ever mentioning this young lady before."

Elliot grinned, nudging Olivia with an elbow. "She's a well-kept secret. Not one I would be able to keep for much longer though. She's finally agreed to move in with me. It took months and months of convincing, but I finally managed to get her to take the leap."

Bert watched his little dog scamper into the grass for a moment before tugging on its leash to bring it back. "That's probably because she's a classy woman who recognizes that men and women shouldn't live together until they have made a formal commitment to each other." He grinned widely, his teeth yellowing but his eyes bright and twinkling. "So when are you going to make it official Elliot?"

"Yeah El," Olivia replied with a wink and a teasing grin. "When?"

Elliot pretended to tug at the collar of his T-shirt nervously. "Bert, you're getting me in trouble here!"

The trio laughed and Elliot wrapped his arm around Olivia's shoulder in a show of mock affection.

"Well welcome to the community, little lady," Bert declared finally, tipping his hat in Olivia's direction. "I'm sure we'll be seeing you around."

"Not really the best time to have her move in though," Elliot continued smoothly, the muscle in his cheek twitching with barely concealed tension. "You hear about the girl they found in the woods the other day?"

Bert's face darkened, his light eyes clouding over. "I did. Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting. That poor child. Can you believe that the police had the gall to come around here and insinuate one of the residents of this area may have been responsible?"

Olivia tensed reflexively at the accusation and Elliot squeezed her arm calmly. "Aw, come on Bert, they were just doing their jobs."

Bert's face lightened slightly and a smile danced on the corner of his lips. "Spoken like a true retired cop. All for one and one for all, right Elliot?" He directed his gaze at Olivia again. "Did you know your old man here used to be a decorated detective in Manhattan?"

"I did." Olivia smiled up at Elliot with legitimate affection. "One of the best, so I've heard."

"Such a nice neighborhood," Elliot continued abruptly, as if the conversation of his past vocation had never started. He dropped his arm from around Olivia's shoulders and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Usually very secure, safe. I know I didn't see or hear anything suspicious. How about you Bert?"

The old man shook his head, dislodging beads of sweat from the tip of his nose. "I didn't either. I told those detectives that very clearly. The police are sadly mistaken if they think a resident is responsible for this tragedy. She must have been killed elsewhere and dragged here. Some miscreant from the city, bringing his evil ways to our beautiful neighborhood." Bert shuddered at the thought before tugging on his dog's leash and straightening his shoulders.

"Come on Misty. We should continue with our walk before the true heat of the day hits." Just before he stepped away, Bert's light eyes pierced Olivia's, his jolly face suddenly serious. "No matter who's responsible, you best be careful young lady. There could be a demon lurking in these woods."


	4. Chapter 4

It was nearly five o'clock in the afternoon by the time they had made the rounds.

Twelve houses including Elliot's lined one side of the dead-end dirt road that snaked through the forest. Some were massive, tri-level structures, complete with hot tubs and finished basements. Others were smaller, single-level cabins, but they too reeked of wealth, from the satellites jutting off the roofs to the expensive cars idling in the porticos. On the other side of the street, the pine forest rose dauntingly.

They had managed to connect with the residents of eight of the eleven homes thanks to luck, the beautiful weather, and typical Sunday laziness. Many of them were outside tending to gardens, playing horseshoes, or reading in colorful Adirondack chairs. Little segue way was needed to initiate conversation and most of the people greeted Olivia warmly and without apparent suspicion.

But none of them offered any useful information.

They were maybe fifty feet from Elliot's house when a silver Mercedes Benz with tinted windows turned into the driveway of Elliot's immediate neighbor. Olivia groaned internally. After hours of traipsing down the lengthy dirt road, she was covered in bug bites and itched desperately. She could feel the sunburn crusting on her shoulders and her feet ached in her sandals. The dirt caked in the sweat on her calves did nothing to help her shake the feeling of unkemptness. All she wanted to do was have a shower.

Beside her, Elliot looked irritatingly unperturbed and energized by the questioning. His clothes were unwrinkled, his sunglasses still sat firmly on his nose, and he didn't appear bothered by the bugs or the heat. The only sign of any strain on his body was the light sheen of sweat that coated his face.

"Hey Gary, how's it going?"

Pausing at the end of the driveway, Elliot waved to the man who had just swung his legs out of the Benz. At the sound of his name, the man looked up, his designer sunglasses catching a thin beam of sun as he returned the wave. Olivia felt a small flutter of butterflies in her stomach as he sent a white-toothed grin their way. He was a good looking man by any standards, with long dark hair worn slicked back, healthy skin, and a trim body.

"Hey Elliot! Good to see you, man." The trunk of the Benz popped up and Gary walked around to the rear of the car to pull out a suitcase. A few feet away at the house, the screen door creaked open and a portly woman emerged, wiping her hands on her apron. Catching sight of Elliot and Olivia at the mouth of the driveway, she also waved. A squirrel ran across the porch as she stepped out, its bushy tail bobbing.

Taking the greeting as an invitation, Elliot trudged down the driveway toward the couple. "Just getting back from a business trip?"

Gary slammed the trunk closed with a metallic thud before turning a full watt grin in their direction. "Yep. Seattle. Just flew back in this morning."

The portly woman from the doorway appeared at Gary's left elbow. Her red hair curled tightly around a face marred by dry patches. She greeted Elliot shyly, but her eyes were on Olivia.

Stepping back, Elliot placed his hand on the small of Olivia's back and guided her forward. "I'd like you both to meet my girlfriend, Olivia. She moved in with me yesterday. This is Gary and his wife Rebecca."

"Wow." Gary grinned and raised his sunglasses just high enough to look at Olivia without impediment. He offered his hand and held hers longer than was strictly necessary. "Nice to meet you Olivia."

Olivia carefully extracted her hand from his and offered it to Rebecca. The redhead's handshake was far weaker and briefer. "It's nice to meet you both. You have a beautiful garden."

Moving back to stand beside Elliot, Olivia pointed to the brick-lined rectangle that stretched along one side of the house. The colorful flowers were in full bloom and the fragrance was thick in the air.

Rebecca's face lit up at the compliment, and she grabbed Olivia's elbow with plump fingers. "You've got to come see it. My magnolias are just starting to bloom."

An appreciative smile curled on Gary's lips as he watched the women walk away, his wife chattering merrily about the garden. Only when they disappeared around the side of the house did he refocus on Elliot.

"Nice job man. She's gorgeous."

Unconsciously crossing his arms over his chest, Elliot shifted his weight and tried to quell the irritation that swelled up like bile in his throat. "Yeah, she is. So how long were you gone for?"

Lifting his arms above his head in a stretch, Gary yawned. "About a week. Flew out last Monday. Big business in Seattle right now man."

"So I guess you didn't hear about that girl they found in the woods?" Elliot worked hard to sound casual, but inside he felt desperate for something, anything, that they could use. A shred of information that would justify the time they had spent today.

"I did." Reaching down, Gary pulled up the handle of his suitcase and twisted the luggage tag between his fingers. "Becca told me. Such a shame."

"The detectives questioned everyone in the neighborhood earlier this week. They think it was someone on the street."

Gary considered that for a moment before shaking his head. "No way. Not in this neighborhood. Who do they think we are? It was probably some pervert from the city."

Still shaking his head, Gary turned around and started wheeling his suitcase toward the house, signaling the end of the conversation and effectively dashing Elliot's hope of getting anything useful. "Nobody on Mountainside would do anything so horrible. The police are just wasting time nosing around here."

* * *

><p>"That was a complete waste of time."<p>

The sun had inched even closer to the water by the time Olivia extracted herself from Rebecca's clutches. The short return journey to the cabin was a bit cooler, but the sunbeams reflecting off the lake were still blinding. Small whitecaps crested on the water, barely visible through the mosaic of leaves that fluttered in the breeze.

"Not entirely." Leaning on the granite counter of the breakfast island, Olivia gingerly removed her sandals, wincing as her heel burned. "If nothing else, it proved to me that I am right to be here."

"How do you figure that?" Dropping down on the couch, Elliot rubbed a hand over his face tiredly. The movement dislodged a drop of sweat from his forehead and the wood frame creaked in protest under his weight.

Olivia limped over to the refrigerator and opened the shiny appliance. The blast of cool air was shockingly refreshing. "People's unwillingness to talk about the murder speaks volumes, don't you think? It's a very closed community here, and I think one of your neighbors is hiding something. Now initial contact has been made, I can worm my way in. You want a beer?"

"Yeah."

Removing two beers from the fridge, Olivia used the magnetic bottle opener to pop the caps. "We managed to get ourselves invited to some neighborhood events. We'll get to know the people better, be able to dig a little deeper. It wasn't a total loss."

Handing Elliot the perspiring bottle, Olivia dropped onto the couch beside him, drawing her legs up onto the cushion and peeling her damp hair off the nape of her neck.

"I think they were shocked I actually agreed to come to the events," Elliot grunted, taking a long swig of the amber beverage. "I always avoided them at all costs before." Gary's reaction to Olivia flashed before his eyes. "And they like you."

"What's not to like?" Olivia retorted with a grin, poking his muscled thigh with her big toe. "I'm a good influence on you."

Rolling his eyes, Elliot reached forward and lowered his bottle to a coaster. Rifling around in a drawer under the scarred coffee table, he drew out a red and black notebook and pen before settling back into the cushions.

"Modest, Liv." Opening the notebook, Elliot popped the cap off the pen and held it at the ready. "Okay, talk to me about what we've learned."

Stretching, Olivia began reciting the findings of their casual, afternoon canvass. As she relived the experience, her eyes lost focus and she gazed off into the distance. He wrote as she talked, squinting down at the paper in concentration. Even after her voice had faded, he kept writing, his brow furrowing slightly and the very tip of his tongue peeking out the corner of his mouth.

Olivia couldn't help the small smile that spread across her lips. "You're right into this, aren't you El?"

"Hmm?" Elliot didn't look up, his attention still locked on the paper.

"You're getting right back into the SVU frame of mind. Why the heck did you retire in the first place? I can't understand it!"

The comment was uttered jokingly, but the second it came out of her mouth, Elliot's face visibly hardened into stone and she wished she could take it back. Sitting up straight, Elliot tossed the notepad onto the table carelessly. The wire-bound book slid across the table and knocked the TV remote onto the floor with a clatter. Avoiding eye contact, he stood suddenly and strode into the kitchen, leaving Olivia sitting stunned on the couch.

"There are a lot of things you don't understand Olivia. I'm going to start the barbecue."

The sound of the screen door snapping shut signaled his abrupt departure.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day, it was as if nothing had happened.

They had eaten dinner that night in a shroud of silence. She had tried in vain to initiate and maintain conversation, but his short, unsubstantial responses offered no support. She had excused herself early to go to bed but struggled to fall asleep, marinating in a pool of her own sweat. When he retired at midnight, she was still awake to hear his bedroom door click closed behind him.

_When had they become awkward strangers?_

He was awake first the next morning. She woke to the sound of puttering in the kitchen – the chiming clang of pots and pans, the sizzle of bacon. She had lay stretched out in bed for what felt like forever listening to the birds sing in the trees before rising and heading for the shower. By the time she had dried off and dressed, he had breakfast on the table. His greeting was almost too cheerful, hollow and fake to her ears after the events of the previous evening.

_When had she forgotten how to talk to him?_

It had been his idea to return to the scene of the crime.

It was mid-morning by the time they took his ATV to the remote patch of forest where Teresa had been found, Elliot driving and Olivia perched on the back. She began the trip with her arms around his waist to hold herself in place but, after a while, the ripple of his strong stomach muscles proved to be too great of a distraction. Images of those muscles moving under her hands floated before her eyes and she felt an uncomfortable heat flash through her body.

_It had been a while since she had had those daydreams . . . _

If he noticed her move her hands from his waist to grip the equipment rack on the back of the machine, Elliot didn't comment.

The hard scrabble patch of forest real estate where Teresa's body had been found was vacant now, with only a few bright orange flags and some glaring yellow crime scene tape to highlight its significance. Dead leaves and pine needles clung to the black tires of the 4X4 as it jolted across the rocky, uneven terrain. On one particularly rough bounce, Olivia sucked in an anxious breath. He may have been used to the brutish movement of the machine but she wasn't, and her stomach heaved uncomfortably until the vehicle finally skidded to a stop.

Unsnapping the chin strap of his helmet, Elliot threw his leg over the side of the ATV and ambled toward the scene, slipping under the yellow tape while Olivia shakily stood, her knees trembling. By the time she had wobbled over, he was crouched down and dragging his fingers through the loose soil.

"How'd she die again?"

Olivia wiped nervous sweat off her forehead. "Beaten to death."

"She was definitely killed here then." Still crouching, Elliot brushed his fingers off on the knees of his jeans. "Bloodstains all over the place, and there's a ton of it."

Chipmunks chattered overhead as Elliot lifted his sunglasses and squinted, surveying the scene with a trained eye. After a moment, he paused and pointed to the imprint of a shoe in the soft soil several feet away. "Morbid curiosity, or our perp?"

Olivia shrugged. "It was here when we found the body, so we took a cast. Average size, common make. Men's size 11."

"So not much help in other words," Elliot summarized. As he stood up, his light eyes continued to scan the scene, committing the details to memory. "Tire tracks?"

Olivia shook her head. "None that we could see."

"So what's your theory?"

"Full of holes at the moment. She had been dead for 12 hours when the birdwatcher stumbled over her. Killed sometime in the dead of the night. Not someplace she would have been wandering on her own in the dark. Originally, we weren't sure if her disappearance was a kidnapping. It wouldn't have been the first time she ran away. I'm still not sure, but either way, she came up here with someone and that someone killed her."

"Any likely suspects back home?"

Another head shake. "Fin and Odessa questioned all of her friends and family. Most had strong alibis. We couldn't see a motive for those who didn't. She was one of those girls that everyone knew, but no one knew well enough to love her or hate her."

"Well she obviously came out here with someone who hated her. And you think it's someone who lives on the street."

Olivia shrugged again. "Doesn't have to be I guess. I just can't imagine them coming around here if the perp doesn't live here, or at least know someone who does. You're pretty isolated El." She motioned to the guardian forest that surrounded them.

Elliot's intelligent eyes flickered over the crime scene again. "Certainly not an area someone would typically stumble upon, I get that. Doesn't mean it was someone living here."

"No, I guess not," Olivia hedged, shifting her weight uncomfortably. A sudden breeze snuck between the tree trunks and set the hairs on the back of her neck on end. An uneasy sense of being watched scurried up her spine and she glanced over her shoulder quickly but saw nothing. Suddenly, out there in the menacing forest, her convictions from prior days seemed weaker.

Sensing her hesitation, Elliot turned his intense scrutiny to her face. "What's your gut telling you?"

Olivia wavered. "Well, like you said, it's hard to know for sure."

He frowned lightly. "Come on Liv. What do you feel?"

"I don't know Elliot. Gut instincts don't stand up in court."

"Christ, you sound like a lawyer." Elliot shook his head with barely veiled disgust. "When did that happen? You always used to listen to your gut. We both did."

"I'm a Captain now El. I've got to set the example."

"Goddamn waste of good instincts," Elliot grumbled, his hands clenching into a fist for a moment before relaxing.

Behind Olivia, a twig snapped loudly and she whirled around, hand immediately fumbling for the gun on her hip that wasn't there. They both stood in silence for a moment, ears straining for the sounds of someone or something approaching. There was nothing but the haunting cry of a loon.

"Probably just an animal." Turning on his heels, Elliot ducked back under the crime scene tape and strode toward the ATV. "Still, we'd better head back before someone sees us hanging around here."

Like a chastised puppy, Olivia followed after him meekly. Although she was the one with official authority in this case, she couldn't help but feel that he was in charge. A feeling that irritated the hell out of her.

_When did they forget how to be partners?_

By the time she made it back over to the ATV, Elliot was already seated, had his helmet on, and was looking at her expectantly. Olivia's stomach roiled at the sight of the unsteady vehicle. "Think we could give it a few more minutes?"

Then, like a light switch had been flicked, the old Elliot was back.

"You look a little green Liv." A cocky smile danced at the corner of his lips.

"That's because you drive that thing like a maniac," Olivia grumbled, resting one hand on her stomach as if to settle it.

Elliot nodded his head toward the ATV beneath him. "You want to drive?"

"I've never driven anything like that El. I'm a city girl, remember? I'll probably kill us both. "

"Live on the edge a little Captain." Smirking, Elliot slid back on the seat, making room for her to sit in front of him. He dangled the keys in the air teasingly and she quickly snagged them off his finger.

_He wanted it to be like this, did he?_

"Fine, but you've got to give me some direction here." Snapping on her helmet, Olivia tossed her leg over the front seat. The vehicle bounced slightly under their combined weight as Elliot slid up behind her. His broad chest pressed against her back and a pattern of sweat prickled on her neck.

"Okay, first step, put the key in the ignition. It works better when you've got it turned on."

His deep voice, though muffled by the helmet, resonated in her ear and rattled her insides. Olivia fought hard to suppress a shiver as she followed the instruction. The vehicle roared to life, humming beneath them, and Olivia leaned forward to grab the handles.

When his hands closed over hers, she nearly jumped right off the vehicle.

His hands were sweaty but not clammy, the calluses on his palms scraping the back of her hands pleasantly. Their arms ran parallel and his fingers knit neatly between hers.

"Here's your gas." His fingers gently folded hers over the throttle.

"And here's your brake." Deftly, he guided her fingers over to the protruding handle. "You now have total control over how fast we go."

_He's talking about the ATV you fool. Has it really been that long for you? Get a grip Benson!_

"Be gentle."

His voice was so soft she barely heard it. In a desperate attempt to cover her obvious discomfort, Olivia turned the throttle quickly. The ATV jerked forward, spewing dirt from under its wheels. If his reflexes had been any slower, Elliot likely would have fallen off the back of the ATV. As it was, he only managed to return his hands to her waist in the nick of time.

Elliot's deep chuckle echoed in her ear the entire way back to the cabin.


	6. Chapter 6

"So let me get this straight . . ."

An early morning breeze snuck in through the window of the guest bedroom that presently doubled as an office. The wafting air current tickled the back of Olivia's neck and sent a visible shiver up her spine as she perched on the edge of the padded desk chair. Her bare feet were hooked on the wheeled legs, her toes playing nervously along the plastic. On the laptop screen in front of her, Chief of Detectives Hadley Scott's grim face stared back.

"So what I hear you telling me is that we've been paying you to sit out in the boonies for the last three days, and you have absolutely nothing to show for it." Scott's bass voice reverberated through the laptop's tiny speakers and Olivia shifted uncomfortably on her chair, wincing as the unprotected skin of her legs stuck firm to the plastic.

"I am making progress sir. I've met most of the residents, and now I'm working on developing enough rapport to dig a little deeper. It's not easy. They are very secretive around here. Big into "minding their own business."" Olivia's air quotes emphasized her point. "We don't have a lot of choice. They won't talk to the authorities, and they're not going to open up to me if I'm an outsider. We've got to play their game."

The Chief grunted and shifted in his seat, the movement momentarily blurring the webcam image and distorting his handsome features and well-coiffed salt and pepper hair. His irritation, however, remained as clear as day.

"You're lucky this is a high profile case Benson." Scott sharply shuffled the pile of papers on the desk before him. "We need to be able to show that we're doing everything in our power to nail this perp, or I'd be hauling your ass back here. The only reason you're still playing house out there is because it looks good to the vic's father that we've got someone high ranking out in the field."

Olivia's eyes flickered absently out the window, the vivacious early morning sun spurring a pang of longing to escape the claustrophobic office. Remembering suddenly that the Chief of D's could see her, she jerked her eyes back to the screen and cleared her throat.

_Damn technology. On the phone I could have rolled my eyes._

"I am working on it sir. Everything is going according to plan. I-"

"I expect a detailed report in two days. And you best have made some progress." With a flick of his hand, the Chief's face disappeared from the monitor as if drawn into a black hole.

Groaning, Olivia dropped her elbows onto the desk and lowered her face into her hands. Her palms gouged her eyes roughly as an iron rod of tension clamped onto her spine.

"You want some coffee?"

The sound of Elliot's deep voice made Olivia's head snap up. It took her eyes a moment to focus on him, leaning in the previously vacant doorway, a cup of coffee in each hand. He was shirtless and his sweatpants rode low on his hips, exposing the lines of his well-defined pelvis. Instinctively, her eyes travelled down, following the lines until they disappeared beneath the waistband of his pants. The sight made her mouth water and it took a concerted effort to force her eyes back up.

_Yes, I do want some. But not coffee._

"Coffee'd be great, thanks."

Elliot crossed the room and Olivia accepted the steaming ceramic mug he passed over with near glee. Although it was also warm outside, her insides embraced the comforting liquid heat as she took an introductory sip.

Pulling up a wooden chair from the corner of the room, Elliot plopped down on the opposite side of the desk. Leaning back with his hands locked behind his head, he propped his feet up on the corner of the desk.

_Just like old times . . . _

"New Chief's a real ball buster, huh?"

Rolling her tense shoulders, Olivia shrugged. "He's the same as all the ones before him. Demanding, politically ambitious, chauvinistic, conceited."

Elliot's light eyes followed the wisps of steam curling up from her mug. "So that's your new life. Kissing up to the fat cats."

The derision in his voice made Olivia tense defensively. Leaning forward, she folded her arms across her chest and looked him straight in the eye. "Does it bother you that I'm a Captain now El?"

Elliot snorted. Outside, a honeybee buzzed lazily against the window screen. "No, course not."

Olivia's eyes were hard and unyielding. "Could have fooled me with the number of smart remarks I've heard from you over the last few days."

Elliot's face softened slightly and he looked up from her cup to meet her eyes. "You were such a damn good detective Liv. Lots of years of high quality solves still left in you. It's a disservice sticking you behind a desk."

"At least I didn't bail entirely." The comment slipped out sharper than she intended and a menacing thundercloud formed on Elliot's face. The knot of guilt that immediately tightened in her stomach forced an apology from her mouth. "I'm sorry. That was out of line. You did your time. You were the smart one. You got out."

_I just missed you like crazy._

The room was deathly quiet for a moment as the storm cloud dissipated, the only sound that of claw on wood as a squirrel scurried up a tree. In a desperate attempt for a distraction, Olivia's eyes darted back to the blank screen and reality sunk in. With a sigh, she closed the lid on the laptop with a sharp click. "I need a break in this case, badly."

Dropping his feet, Elliot placed his forearms on the desk, fingertips absently playing with a sheet of loose-leaf paper. "It'll come. You've just got to be patient."

_Yeah, easy for you to say. It's not your ass on the line anymore. _

Biting her tongue with a sigh, Olivia swiveled around in her chair. From the window, she could see the diamond-studded lake through the trees. The laughter of children, carried up by the breeze, was as clear as if Olivia were sitting along the shoreline herself.

_She wished . . ._

The tense set of her shoulders and the twitch of the tiny muscle in her jaw was a dead giveaway. It was a look Elliot had seen many times over the years. She was getting frustrated. How many times in the past had he wiped that look off her face with a joke or a stupid remark? Yet now, he couldn't think of a single thing to say that would make it better.

_When had their connection broken?_

"Well, we won't accomplish anything sitting here stewing." Standing abruptly, Elliot slurped the final dregs of his coffee. "Come on. We've still got a few more neighbors to meet."

* * *

><p>It was dazzling out on the water.<p>

The sun was conveniently ignoring the fact that it was August, not July, and it burned with early summer enthusiasm as the motorboat skipped across the water, motor humming. The temperature of the lake below was considerably cooler than the air, and the breeze that had settled over the water was refreshing but far from cold. It was near perfection to Elliot's mind as he guided the small boat over the rising whitecaps.

Perched on the bough, her back to him, Olivia's streaked hair whipped in the wind. Her eyes were shaded by a pair of dark sunglasses as she looked out over the water, lost in thought. Her white muslin bathing suit cover-up fluttered in tandem with her hair, her long tan legs poking out from beneath the hem, ending in a pair of flip-flops that framed painted toenails.

_Speaking of perfection . . ._

_Don't go there Stabler._

One of the most solitary residents of Mountainside, Murph Avery lived on the point of the curving shoreline. His ramshackle cabin was guarded by a wedge of forest so thick that it was virtually impossible to reach on foot. It was most easily accessible by boat, the thin, rickety dock extending from the shore its sole entry point. Elliot could easily count the number of times he had seen Murph Avery on both hands, so when he had spotted him outside on the dock, kneeling beside a bucket of water, he knew the time was now.

They had packed a picnic lunch with the intention of stopping on the floating pontoon anchored in the middle of the lake on the way back. When the powerboat hit a rough patch in the water, the cooler toppled over, spilling its guts on the floor. Unsteadily, gripping the railing of the boat, Olivia got to her feet to pick it up and return it to its rightful place at the bough. Elliot's eyes followed the movement and, when she bent over to retrieve the errant cooler, her bathing suit cover up rode high enough to expose her bathing suit clad backside. His mouth went dry at the sight of the smooth skin and his eyes traced her curves as a pleasant tightening hijacked his groin.

He almost didn't see it in time.

The flamboyant buoy was less than three seconds away when it caught Elliot's attention. It was a flash of color that jerked his eyes away from Olivia and spurred an instinctual reaction. Cranking the wheel to the right, he narrowly avoided the jagged rock beneath the oversize bobber. The sharp movement threw Olivia off balance and she crashed onto the padded seat that ran around the interior of the boat.

"El! What the hell!"

Elliot's hands shook slightly on the wheel, his stomach having fallen to his knees from the close call. "Sorry. Distracted."

Murph didn't even raise his head as the idling powerboat pulled alongside the sagging dock. His greasy, scraggly hair clung to the back of his neck where a pool of sweat had formed. His round, thick, Harry Potteresque glasses slipped down his nose from the exertion as he leaned over a bucket of gray water, scrubbing vigorously on an old, battered washboard. His body was scrawny but deceptively strong biceps flexed in time with the motion.

Elliot looped the rope over the support post and hauled himself up onto the knotted dock, his knees still trembling lightly.

"Hi Murph. How are you?"

The thin man didn't even glance up from his scrubbing. "Fine."

Elliot turned and took Olivia's hand, helping her onto the dock. "Haven't seen you around for a while. Thought I would drop by and say hi when I saw you were out."

"Hi." Murph still didn't look up, his hair a slick curtain around his face. His hands were bright red from scrubbing in the hot water, a definite contrast against his pale skin.

Elliot took another step forward. "I wanted to introduce you to my girlfriend. This is Olivia."

Murph stopped scrubbing but didn't turn, gazing instead into the bucket of soapy water as if Olivia would suddenly appear there. When he finally did raise his head, his eyes were huge and magnified behind the thick lenses of his glasses.

"Hello." He gave Olivia a very blatant once over before twisting his head back in Elliot's direction. The breeze made the curtain of hair sway just slightly. "Your girlfriend has really nice legs."

Elliot barely managed to suppress a grin as he glanced at Olivia out of the corner of his eye. Murph's eccentricities were famous around Mountainside, from his social awkwardness to his hermit lifestyle to his obsession with all things alien. "Thanks. What have you been up to lately?"

Murph's stringy hair had resumed bobbing in time with his motions. "Nothing. Watching the skies."

"Yeah, you've always got that telescope out, don't you? Keeping an eye on the neighborhood. You hear about that girl they found murdered in the woods?"

"Yeah." Murph scrubbed harder, water sloshing out of the bucket and staining the wooden dock.

"You see anything at all?" Elliot took another step closer, Olivia hovering by his elbow.

Murph paused in his scrubbing and, after a moment, lifted his eyes from the bucket to meet Elliot's. "Why you want to know?"

Elliot shrugged nonchalantly. "Used to be a cop. Like you, I'm curious in nature."

Murph considered that for a minute, his eyes darting back and forth almost hypnotically. The answer must have satisfied him because he tilted his head to one side and pursed his lips thoughtfully. "I might've seen something."

"What did you see?" The words flew out of Olivia's mouth before she could stop them and she reflexively took a step forward. Murph reacted dramatically, jumping to his feet so fast that he actually tripped himself and stumbled backward, nearly overturning the bucket. The entire dock shook as he fell and Elliot extended his arm to stop Olivia from moving any closer.

Murph's lips tightened into a thin line as he lay sprawled on the dock, his eyes hard. "Why do you want to know? You a cop too?"

"No," Elliot cut in quickly, stepping in front of Olivia and blocking her from sight. "She's just nosy. Typical woman." He managed to hide the wince when Olivia pinched his back in retaliation.

Murph seemed to like that answer even better and he bared his black-lined teeth in a grin. "That girl. I seen her around before."

"When?"

Shrug. "Coupla weeks ago maybe."

"Where?"

Shrug. "Around."

Elliot shifted his weight impatiently. "She with anyone?"

The shirt Murph had been washing bobbed in the bucket's sudsy water like a blue island. "She wasn't alone."

Elliot's patience waned like a fraying string, a hardness taking its place. "You recognize the person?"

Murph was quiet for a moment before slowly getting to his feet and wiping his splinter-coated hands on his stained jeans. "Yeah, I did."

"You tell the cops any of this?"

Murph chuckled, a dry, brittle sound. "I don't tell the cops anything man. They're all in on the conspiracy to keep the truth from us."

"So who was it you saw with this girl? Anyone I know?"

By way of answer, Murph grabbed the bucket and dumped it into the lake. The filthy suds dissipated quickly and Elliot wondered absently what damage that chemical would do to the ecosystem.

_Focus Stabler._

Sensing that he was fast losing his window of opportunity, Elliot took a step closer and tried to reassert himself. "Come on man, I can keep a secret. I'm not in on the conspiracy anymore. I left the force because I couldn't stomach it."

Murph regarded him carefully, the empty blue bucket that dangled from the end of his fingertips rocking slightly in the breeze. He opened his mouth to respond, and then closed it, then opened it again. He vaguely resembled a rock bass, skimming the surface of the water for food.

Finally, he found his voice. "She was with the one who speaks to the aliens. Rebecca."

The answer caught Elliot off guard, and he stood there unmoving as Murph turned and headed toward the wooden staircase that led to his remote hideaway. The thin man paused for a moment at the bottom step, his eyes huge, shiny orbs in his flat face.

"I saw the hieroglyphs in the dirt. They're coming. Mark my words they're coming."


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N - Sorry for the delay. A special thanks to Saamiyah, my beta, for all her support._

* * *

><p>It was just like old times. Well . . . . almost.<p>

By night, the expansive living area of Elliot's cabin morphed into a turn-of-the-century squad room. Bordered by crime scene photographs, lined chart paper clung crookedly to the wooden wall paneling like a macabre quilt. A veritable slew of paper, stained coffee cups, and food wrappers littered the glass-topped table. The air was heavy with the malignant odours of coffee grinds, permanent marker, and burnt pizza. Although it was well past midnight, the heavy curtains were drawn over the windows to keep late night strollers from spying on the secret rendezvous.

Olivia and Odafin Tutola had commandeered the couch, backs hunched as they passed clear plastic baggies of evidence back and forth. On the parallel loveseat, Elliot scribbled the short list of facts they had been able to amass on the case, squinting at his notepad in the dim light of the vaulted ceiling. It would have been a complete family reunion were it not for the absence of John Munch. The stunning Odessa Ryan, perched on the arm of the loveseat, was his younger and much more attractive replacement.

"I think Murph looks good for it," Odessa remarked, gazing at the suspect list. Her mismatched eyes - one cat green, the other electric blue – were thoughtful. "He's definitely not all there. If he thought Teresa was communicating with "the aliens", who knows what he would have done? A regular fucking Mulder that boy."

"I don't know," Elliot mused with a frown, rubbing a thick hand over his bearded chin. "Yeah, he's kooky, but he also seems harmless. Add to that the fact he's a recluse. I doubt his path would have crossed with Teresa's other than at either end of the telescope."

"He knew about the pattern that we found in the dirt, so he was at the scene." Odessa leaned forward and carefully selected a crime scene photo from the coffee table. Her curtain of black hair brushed against Elliot's shoulder, the movement attracting Olivia's attention. An uncomfortable sensation took root in the heart of her stomach as she watched Elliot's eyes trace Odessa's face. His interest was blatant, his gaze almost primitively dazed. Only when he became aware of his audience did he snap back to attention and blush red to the tips of his ears.

"Possible I guess." Elliot cleared his throat and clumsily flipped through the lined pages of his notebook. "Still, I think he's a long shot. I'm liking Gary for it. He claims he was away on business, but that alibi didn't entirely check out. He could have done his business and still been back to off Teresa. It's pretty obvious he fancies himself a player. I don't think he wouldn't hesitate to hit on Teresa. Maybe they had an affair when he went into the city on business. She sneaks off to be with him. She threatens to tell his wife and it pushes him over the edge."

Leaning back into the plush cushions of the couch, Fin shook his head, his expression stoic. "Maybe, but let's face it. There was no semen or traces of any lubricant. No way a pig like that's gonna off her before he gets laid."

Elliot shrugged, unconvinced. "Maybe she ticked him off right away, and he reacted in anger."

"I'm leanin' toward Rebecca." Fin pointed to the suspect list on the wall with a calloused finger. "Our resident nut job witnessed her interacting with the victim. If there was an affair happening between Teresa and Gary, she's got motive and no alibi."

"I can't imagine it." Olivia shook her head, chewing absently on a ragged fingernail. "She's so naïve. She's a dutiful housewife, puts on blinders. He's perfect in her eyes. I don't think she would have even toyed with the notion that her husband was having an affair. Even if she did, my gut tells me she couldn't harm a fly."

"Finally, using her gut again." Elliot smirked triumphantly as if he himself had brought about the change.

"Shut up El," Olivia retorted calmly. Grabbing a Junior Mint from a speckled glass bowl on the table, she launched it at him. Elliot caught the candy missile with irritating ease and popped it into his mouth, chewing exaggeratedly with an arrogant grin.

"Ah, I've missed working with you two clowns. It's always amusing." Fin grinned at Odessa, his eyes twinkling with mirth. "This is what I had to endure every day I worked with Cheech and Chong."

Odessa's contagious, throaty laugh resonated throughout the cabin. When she looked down at Elliot, her eyes were warm. "Your reputation precedes you, you know?"

Elliot chuckled dryly. "I'll bet it does. Not in a good way either."

Odessa raised her manicured eyebrows, her mouth falling into a crooked half grin. "You'd be surprised. You do have fans back in the department. In fact, you're a little bit of a legend."

"Can we focus please?" Olivia snapped brusquely, folding her arms across her chest. The conversation died instantly and Odessa shifted her weight uncomfortably, returning her attention to the gruesome crime scene spread across the coffee table.

Fin, on the other hand, found the outburst amusing. "Whoa! Remind you of someone else we knew Stabler? I think Captain Benson is channeling Captain Cragen today!"

Olivia ignored him with a roll of her eyes. "I'm leaning toward David Chartwell. Recently divorced, he's got priors for assault. The only resident with a criminal record, he's also the president of the neighbourhood association. Maybe Teresa was a rebound after his wife left him. He wanted to get more serious, she balked. He's the only resident El and I have not been able to get in contact with yet".

"So four of us, four main suspects." Standing and snagging a red Sharpie from beneath a chocolate bar wrapper, Odessa strode over to the list of suspects and put a big red star beside each of the four names. Capping the marker, she stood back and admired her handiwork while the rest of the room internally lamented the lack of progress.

So close, and yet so far.

* * *

><p>It was so different there, on the precipice of the forest. Nothing at all like Manhattan.<p>

In the wee hours of the morning, the woodland surrounding Elliot's cabin was a fortress of impenetrable darkness. No blinking neon. No rotating spotlights advertising nightlife. Not even streetlights to break up the suffocating canopies of the slumbering trees. The only illumination came from the moon, high above the water, its likeness mutated by the soft ripples of the waves.

After Fin and Odessa left, it was quiet too. No wailing sirens. No frightened screams. No snippets of conversation. No honk of car horns. It was almost eerily silent, the only audible sound that of a loon calling to its mate out on the water. In comparison, the whoosh of the sliding patio door and the creak of wood under heavy footsteps seemed deafeningly loud to Olivia as Elliot sidled up beside her on the deck. Resting his forearms on the wooden railing, he gazed blindly out into the darkness.

"It was good to see Fin again." Elliot made the comment without looking at her.

"Yeah."

"You okay?"

"I'm good. Just tired." A truer truth was never spoken. Stunted sentences were all Olivia could manage as she mentally waded through the web of clues in an attempt to make sense of savagery. "We ever going to catch this guy El?"

Elliot was quiet for a moment, contemplating the value of a comforting statement they both knew was not true. Justice did not always prevail. The good guy did not always win. "It's going to come together, Liv. You're doing your thing here, and Fin and Odessa are working theirs back at the house."

"What did you think of Detective Ryan?" The question vaulted from Olivia's lips before she could consider the potential consequences. If any processing had taken place at all, she would have kept her mouth shut.

Elliot cocked his head to the side, eyes shining curiously in the moonlight. When he spoke, his words were carefully measured. "She seems like a good detective."

"Come on El," Olivia chided half-playfully. "You just thought she was hot."

Elliot chuckled lightly. "I'm not going to deny that she's gorgeous. You see the way Fin looks at her though? The man's smitten. He'd probably chop off my balls if I tried anything."

Olivia laughed. "It's unfortunate for him that he got partnered up with her then. It's never going to work."

Elliot turned so his back was to the forest and his elbows rested against the uneven railing. His face was calm as he looked at her, but his ice blue eyes were penetrating. "Wow, when did you become such a cynic?"

Olivia struggled to keep her voice light and carefree. "I learned that from you. Don't you remember sitting in a hospital waiting room after we caught Gitano? You said we could never choose each other over the job again or we couldn't be partners. We made potentially dangerous choices and we weren't even in a romantic relationship. Romantic relationships between partners are so dangerous El. We both know that."

Unbidden, memories hijacked Elliot and rendered him breathless. Chasing Gitano through waves of commuters who dragged him down like quicksand. The sickening helplessness and horror he had felt when that blade flicked out and a slash of blood appeared suddenly on Olivia's throat . . .

The body of that little boy . . . .

Eager for a change in subject, Elliot cleared his suddenly tight throat. "We busted a lot of really nasty bad guys together, didn't we Liv?"

"We sure did."

The silence that fell in that moment was rife with memories of the many horrific cases that had shaped too many years of their lives. A soft, cool breeze blew off the water and goose flesh prickled Olivia's skin, except where Elliot's close proximity warmed it.

"You ever see Calvin again?"

The innocent question filled Olivia's stomach with mute sadness. "I did. A year ago. He's doing well. He moved to L.A. with Viv. He's volunteering with a Youth Justice program, wants to be a cop."

Elliot smiled warmly at his former partner. "You changed his life Liv."

The corner of Olivia's mouth crooked into a half smile. "Not really, but thanks."

Pushing off the railing, Elliot took a half step closer to her. "I'm not sensing a lot of job satisfaction here. What's going on Liv?"

"It was never the same after you left."

That inadvertent admission of weakness angered her and Olivia immediately averted her eyes, but Elliot refused to back down.

"Why not?" When she didn't answer, he moved another half step closer. "Liv. Why not?"

Olivia hesitated for a moment longer, basking in the blast furnace heat of his body. Or maybe that was emanating from inside her . . . .

She knew she had to choose her words very carefully. Of the million possible reasons growing in her mind, she had to be careful to pluck just the right one.

Because you were my partner.

Because I knew everything about you.

Because you knew everything about me.

Because I love you.

"Because we were a team," Olivia finished lamely, carefully removing a strand of hair that had caught on her dry bottom lip. "Because you were a huge part of my life for twelve years. I saw you almost every day. Then you retire without telling me. No call, no email, nothing. For those first two months after, you couldn't even be bothered to answer my calls. Suddenly my entire world was turned upside down."

Snapping her mouth closed, Olivia swallowed hard, aware that she was on the precipice of disclosing too much. Averting her eyes, she stared hard into the dark forest, eager for a distraction, eager for something to deflate the growing tension.

"It wasn't entirely my choice you know."

Straightening, Olivia turned to lean her back against the wooden railing. Her elbow brushed his abdomen in the process, and they both studiously ignored the ensuing sparks. "What do you mean? You're the one who put in your papers."

"There was a lot of pressure to quit Liv. If I had come back, IAB would have made my life miserable." Elliot craned his neck to gaze at the moon, his hands slipping into his pockets. "They had considered me a loose cannon for years. It was either stay until they drove me out, or retire with my head held high. I'd been with the department way too long to be treated like a dog until retirement. I didn't want my family to be dragged through the mud, and that includes you. Believe me, it wasn't an easy choice to leave."

Olivia eyes returned from the depths of the forest and settled on Elliot's face. Lines drew his brows together and creased the corners of his cheeks. His eyes were distant and reflected the orb of the moon above. His mouth was a thin line and the sudden urge to cup his face, to make physical contact, to wipe the tension from his features overwhelmed her.

Olivia had raised a hand to reach out, to touch the prickly coat of his beard in comfort, when all hell suddenly broke loose.

An abrupt volley of frenzied barking startled them and they jumped apart as if someone had fired a cannon between them. Elliot's sharp calls for silence were ignored, the two dogs inside a whirling dervish of snapping teeth and bloodshot eyes. The sliding door screen protested weakly under the pressure of scrabbling claws and eventually submitted.

Bandit was the first to bust through, his ears pinned back and the hair along his spine spiked. Elliot made a move to grab him, but the agile canine avoided his questing hand and lunged at Olivia, teeth bared. Heart leaping into her throat, Olivia froze on the spot, her instincts screaming at her to flee but her feet stubbornly disobeying. Bracing herself for the impact, she closed her eyes and held her ground.

The impact never came.

Bandit raced past her, his claws leaving gouges in the wood. He bolted to the very edge of the deck before skidding to a stop and barking fiercely at the darkness. Elliot was on him quickly, grabbing his collar and hauling him back as Olivia's eyes flew open in relief. The desperate dog fought the entire way, barking and whining as he struggled against the restraint. In the forest, just beyond the lights of the cabin, a fortunate creature crackled in the underbrush. Alive to see another day.

Elliot's scolding voice had faded to a near whisper by the time Olivia managed to unglue her feet. With a final look over her shoulder at the sentinel forest, Olivia hurried back into the cabin, unable to shake the blood chilling sensation that the forest stared back.


End file.
